Reaching Virgin Bay some time after dark, we found the report of an enemy there untrue; but the pickets were got out in remarkable haste, and all the native population—­some dozen women and children—­were seized, to prevent discovery of us to the enemy, and I suppose there was some expectation of an attack.  However, liquor being plenty amongst the hotel-keepers at Virgin Bay, the officers thought it a good place to get drunk in,—­and many spent the night in that endeavor, and in playing poker; so that in the morning, walking down to the lake to water my mule, I met a colonel and a general staggering into quarters, rubbing their eyes sullenly, having just lifted themselves from the street, where the honest god Bacchus, as a poet calls him, had put them to bed the night before.

The steamer “San Carlos” still lay over at the island, under shadow of the volcano.  The other probably lay at San Jorge, by the enemy.  The old brig formerly anchored at Virgin Bay having been burned, there was now no hope of retaking these steamers, unless the party of Texans, which we had by this time heard was fighting its way up the Rio San Juan, should succeed in getting upon the lake with a boat from the river.  But to-day we came near reaching the top of this hope unexpectedly.  For whilst we still delayed in Virgin Bay, smoke began to rise from the chimneys of the “San Carlos,” and in proper time she turned her prow and came across the water directly toward us.  It was scarcely possible that she knew anything of our presence in Virgin Bay; and it was doubted by no one but she was coming to land there for some purpose; and then her recapture, were she full of the enemy, was certain, in the spirit we then were in:  for all felt, that, could we once get the steamer into our hands, and reach the four hundred fresh Texans on the river, the filibuster star would have shot up so high that it were ill-management indeed that would ever pull it down again.  Accordingly all were quickly driven into the houses, and told to lie there close, and be ready to burst forth when the steamer touched her pier.  But we were miserably disappointed.  She came steadily up within half a mile of land, and then, catching an alarm, turned, and put swiftly back to the island.  I afterward heard that two drunken officers had rushed out into the street, and so apprised her of the danger.

After this the detachment set out towards Rivas.  We advanced along the lake shore some distance, fording the mouth of the little Rio Lajas, whose waters had lost much depth since I first, passed over this road, crossing the stream in a bungo.  In the forest we found, at one point, trees felled across the road, as if the enemy had here been minded to oppose us; but we passed by, seeing no one, and reached Rivas in good time, unmolested.